extremely important.” Attrition can be a vexing problem. At Carroll County
Public Schools in Westminster, Maryland, 50 percent of candidates who attend a three-day class fail to obtain their CLP. “Many candidates have difficulty passing the CDL test
or simply freak out about taking a test, or decide to go a different route than becoming a school bus driver,” said Michael Hardesty, director of the district’s transportation services.
The county is a state-approved, self-testing site, with
local instructors providing classroom and behind- the-wheel instruction. While that arrangement offers convenience, learners often fail to prepare sufficiently to obtain the required learner’s permit from the state department of transportation. “Somehow, we have to make the process of obtaining the learner’s permit easier,” Hardesty said. “This is not to suggest making the test easier, necessarily, but some- how not scaring people away.” Jerad Castor, managing director of transportation for
Frisco ISD near Dallas, Texas sees significant advantages to being a third-party testing organization. One solid benefit is continuity. “Our training team is involved with candidates from the written knowledge tests through behind-the-wheel training and the final driving test,” he said. “Because our trainers work directly with candidates during the written testing process, we get an early understanding of their
strengths, areas of knowledge and where they may need additional support.” That info can then be used to pair candidates with a trainer who best fits their individual needs. The district’s in-house testing process also makes it possible for candi- dates to move through the process much more quickly. “Once a candidate has completed the required CLP testing, we can work toward getting them through their behind-the-wheel training and driving test without having to wait months for an available appointment through the [Texas] Department of Public Safety,” Castor noted. “That efficiency is particularly valuable when you’re trying to bring qualified school bus drivers into the workforce.” Rather than having a candidate complete training and then potentially wait an extended period for a testing appointment, the process can keep moving forward. “From our perspective, being a third-party testing
organization is a win-win,” Castor affirmed. “It gives us greater control over the timeline, allows us to provide a more seamless experience for the candidate, and allows our training team to be involved throughout the en- tire process while still maintaining the required testing standards. First Student’s Boydo is also a proponent of third-party testing as an effective tool to reduce time-to-license. “In states where it’s permitted, it allows us to test new driver candidates in a reasonable timeframe rather than wait- ing weeks for a DMV appointment,” she noted. “Where
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